1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to reusable, freight containers for the transportation of cargo, and more particularly to a collapsible cargo shipping container capable of carrying large quantities of goods when in use and capable of being folded for compact storage when not in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Standard shipping containers are designed and constructed for transportation of general cargo on sea, rail, and roadways. The ISO standard shipping containers used around the world are basically steel boxes, either 20 foot or 40 foot long, 8 foot 6 inches wide, and 8 foot tall, with high-cube containers for voluminous and lightweight cargo being 9 foot 6 inches high.
A substantial percentage of the cost for shipping and storage of goods is in transportation and storage of empty containers. The volume of international trade continues to increase with approximately 90% of non-bulk cargo worldwide moved via over 18 million shipping containers stacked on transport ships. However, the volume of goods shipped between countries is not equal. Therefore, many shipping containers must be shipped around the world empty. For example, the Port of Los Angeles reports for the year 2005 that 67% of the containers that left the Port of Los Angeles were empty.
Additionally, a large number of empty containers must be stored at the dock loading areas, railroad yards, and container yards, where space is at a premium. A shipping container that could be utilized with existing roadway, sea, and rail equipment but required less space for shipping and storing would be economically advantageous. Additionally, a collapsible shipping container that was both lightweight and collapsible would save not only on storage volume, but also on fuel costs for transporting full or empty shipping containers.
Another challenge to the shipping industry, which has increasingly become a concern due to potential terrorist attacks, is security. The massive number of shipping containers moving from country to country combined with the difficulty in tracking shippers, shipments, and container movement multiplies the danger. Improved security would be advantageous not only to the shippers and receivers of goods, but also to governments in protecting their citizens.
Accordingly, there is an established need for a collapsible shipping container meeting the current ISO standards, that is capable of safely and securely carrying cargo when expanded and capable of being collapsed to save space when empty, and that optionally offers the potential to increase security and reduce weight.